A Neat and Clean House vs Children

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-17-2007
A Neat and Clean House vs Children
2597
Tue, 07-27-2010 - 8:35am

For those of you who like a neat and clean house, how do you keep it that way with children?

I find that if I am tied to goal of having a neat and clean house, I become a raging shrew against my children as they proceed to undo all the neatness I have worked so hard to attain. If I made a "neat and clean house" my goal, my children would not have their messy projects that take days/weeks to complete. My children would not pick up a book (casually left out)as they walk through the family room and browse through- discovering once again the mother actually knows about a few good books. I would let them watch more tv/computer time, as they don't make things as messy when they do. I would squash their ideas if I thought it would make too much of a mess. I wouldn't let them cook/experiment in the kitchen- as it is usually more work for me to clean up after they have "cleaned up". So, how do you inspire creativity and imagination in a neat and clean house? Are you on top of them to put things away as soon as they are done even if it is temporary? Where do you put the legos?....... Have you ever allowed them to take over the living room with all of their toys arranged in a city complex (thomas the train things were the Metro, legos and blocks were the buildings....)? How long would it stay up? Would let it be up for the summer so they could add to and change tings around as they got new ideas? Or allowed them to take over half of the family room for a month+ while they build and live in a beaver lodge (using all the empty shoe and other boxes and some that weren't empty)? Even if you have to walk around it everyday to get to the kitchen? Or do you require that all toys be put away everyday?

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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-22-2009
Fri, 07-30-2010 - 8:27pm

I have read studies on this and what was found was that picky eaters have more taste buds than none picky eaters so they taste food more strongly.

I have seen this in action.

Once we were at a pot luck dinner and my DH was eating the crab dip and raving to the person who made it how good it was. Afterward I said to him that I did not know that he liked crab dip. He said that he didn't but that his co-worker had been talking that morning about how everyone loves her crab dip and he did not want to hurt her feelings by not eating it.

I could not do that. If I try to eat something that I do not like it actually gets my gag reflex in action.

The reason that you have not found anything that you would refuse to eat could be based only on the fact that you have fewer taste buds so foods that you do not like do not taste extremely bad to you.

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-07-2003
Fri, 07-30-2010 - 8:28pm
We try several new recipes each week, especially now that we're cooking whatever happens to be in our CSA share each week. While I admit to liking Rachael Ray's recipes (I have two of her cookbooks), I pretty much never watch the Food Network.
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-09-2010
Fri, 07-30-2010 - 8:28pm

In this house it is a pleasure, NOT unnecessary work. I love doing it! As a little girl when I played house I did this for my pretend family (baby dolls) and I always knew I'd do it for real when I grew up to have a hubby and kids.


I eat leftovers for my lunch, yes. School days yes all the kids get packed lunches. My teenager has band camp this summer and I fix him a lunch to take.


Fruits are always available and always served. That is a staple for lunch and supper. Salads, vegetables, raw carrots, etc are part of the lunch and suppers.


Only sandwiches here is something like a grilled cheese, grilled bacon

Polkadotandflipflops

 

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-09-2010
Fri, 07-30-2010 - 8:29pm
I agree. I use the stovetop and ovens for reheating leftovers! I don't do much with the microwave.

Polkadots&FlipFlops

Polkadotandflipflops

 

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-10-2009
Fri, 07-30-2010 - 8:29pm

<>


If I wanted to spend time with the people involved, yes, I'd still go.


<>


If I expressed, firmly, that I truly didn't like where they were going, and they wouldn't budge, yes, I'd be slightly upset.

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-07-2003
Fri, 07-30-2010 - 8:31pm
There are certainly foods that I think taste really bad. I just don't think it is ever appropriate to gag at the food someone has prepared. If that ever happened, I would be mortified. But maybe my taste buds are defective, and I'm just imagining my dislike of goat cheese, for example.
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-10-2009
Fri, 07-30-2010 - 8:31pm
Soup always tastes better reheated on the stove. I don't know why.
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-22-2009
Fri, 07-30-2010 - 8:32pm
I did not feel like cooking tonight so we had roast beef sandwiches for dinner. If a sandwich is made on toast does that make it a hot sandwich?
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-10-2009
Fri, 07-30-2010 - 8:32pm

<<Do you know anyone who is rude, stupid and crazy like that?>>


Yes, I do know people like that.

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-10-2009
Fri, 07-30-2010 - 8:34pm
Can I hire you to be my press secretary?

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